Napkin moistener



Jan; 19;?1926.

F. H. MATI'INGLY v NAPKIN IOISTENBR Filed Feb. 28, 1925 Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK I-I. MATTINGLY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ALBERT E. ZINTL, 0F WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY, AND ONE-THIRD TO ROBERT V. WILLETT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

NAPKIN MOISTENER.

Application filed February 28, 1925. Serial No. 12,462.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK H. MATTINGLY, a resident of Washington, District of Columbia, and a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Napkin Moisteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of av substitute for finger bowls and attains that object in the manner and by the means hereinafter fully set forth and then particularly defined in the claims.

The invention seeks to furnish a very cheap means whereby the fingers and lips may be relieved of the marks of food without any exposure to unsanitary COnClJtlOIlS' and without any of the discomfort which frequently is an incident of the use of a finger bowl.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing the device as in use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device as furnished for use;

Figures 3 and 4 are cross sectional views.

In the practice of the invention, sterilized water is placed in a small mold and frozen, a small cube of ice, 1, being thereby produced. This cube is wrapped in light porous material, such as absorbent cotton 2, and the wrapped cube is dipped in parafiin to acquire an outer coating 3 which will protect the cube from dirt and other unsanitary elements. The outer coating provides a shell which will maintain the form of the ice block so that it may be handled freely without inconvenience or discomfort to dining room attendants or to the user. The shell may, however, be easily broken or ruptured when the water within the block is to be used. The water of course, is not intended to remain in a frozen condition but the ice melts and the contents of the receptacle are reduced to a liquid. I

When the use of the device is desired, the outer paraffin shell is broken-or crushed by pressure of the thumb and index finger, whereupon Water will pass or percolate through the cotton wrapping and shell. The

block beforeuse is enclosed in the folds of a napkin by the user as shown at 5 in Fig. 1. As the water percolates through the ruptured or crushed walls of the receptacle it will dampen the napkin so that it may be a applied to the lips and finger tips and will effectually remove all evidence of eating.

The use of this device will save the time of dining room attendants and will prove most sanitary to the user. It is especially desirable for use on ship board in rough weather. The cotton wrapping forms a cushion for the outer shell so that the latter will retain its form under ordinary handling and even though the ice block should be partially melted during the wrapping and coating operations.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is: r

1. A receptacle for the purpose set forth containing water and formed with rupturable collapsible walls, whereas when the walls are collapsed the Water will percolate through the ruptured portion of the walls.

2. A receptacle for the purpose set forth containing water, the walls of said receptacle formed of paraffin, said walls when ruptured permitting of the percolation therethrough of the water.

3. A receptacle for the purpose set forth containing water, and formed with collapsible walls made of cotton and paraffin, said walls when collapsed permitting of the percolation therethrough of the water contained in the receptacle.

4:. An article for the purpose set forth consisting of a block of congealed water, a porous wrapping around the block, and an outer coating constituting a hermetically sealed shell.

5. The method of producing a toilet article which consists in forming a molded block of ice, wrapping the block in porous material, and dipping the wrapped block in a fluid mixture which hardens on cooling.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my. signature.

FRANK H. MATTINGLY. 

